Do you want something suspenseful, but not too scary? A mystery that’s not murder-filled and gory? Something that you can read or listen to but not freak yourself out over? Then, let me welcome you into the world of cozy mystery books.
A place where all of these things are true. Where you can enjoy the simple pleasures of a mystery book without the nightmares and astray thoughts.
Elements of a cozy mystery
Protagonist
- Upstanding citizen (potentially no formal investigation experience).
- Jobs that entail frequent conversation with people in the town.
- They are naturally curious.
- The key role for them is why they are involved in the mystery.
The Setting
- Typically set in small towns or communities.
- Small enough where everyone knows each other’s dirty laundry.
The Murder
- Cozy mysteries are meant to be “light”, meaning they do not typically involve gorey graphic details.
- Poison is a popular form of bloodless death among these types of books.
- Motive for the murder is typically from human emotion: greed, heartbreak, pride, humiliation etc.
Now that you have some of the staples that go into writing a cozy mystery, go ahead and can write one for yourself! Oh, and don’t forget to add some quirky characters! The protagonist would be nothing without a supporting character.
Here are some cozy mysteries we had the pleasure of turning into audiobooks! Browse for your favorite and enjoy! Happy Spooktober!
